Of course, one should consider one’s sources carefully. So when a British tabloid calls something an Indian-Nepali “mutant fish” perhaps we should skeptically report this.

Scientifically, what is being discussed are the fish species of the genus Bagarius.

There are approximately 6 species in this genus: B. bagarius (Dwarf Goonch), B. rutilus, B. suchus (Crocodile Catfish), B. yarelli, B. yarellii, and B. yarrelli (Goonch).

The fish pictured directly above is an ordinary 66 pound gooch caught by the Otter Reserves Sportfishing Conservation group (no, I’m not making the name up) based in New Delhi, India.

The UK’s Sun is noting that the fish shown at top, held by three humans, is being…

…investigated by biologist Jeremy Wade for a TV documentary to be shown on Five.

He said: “The locals have told me of a theory that this monster has grown extra large on a diet of partially burnt corpses. It has perhaps got this taste for flesh by feasting on remains of funeral pyres. There will be a few freak individuals that grow bigger than the other ones and if you throw in extra food, they will grow even bigger.”

Jeremy discounted theories that crocodiles could be responsible for the carnage before turning his attention to goonches – among the world’s biggest freshwater fish.

He caught one which tipped the scales at 161lb and was nearly 6ft long – a world record weight and far bigger than any landed before.

He said: “If that got hold of you, there’d be no getting away.

An 18-year-old Nepali disappeared in the river last year, dragged down by something described as like an “elongated pig”.

But the first victim of a goonch attack was thought to have been a 17-year-old Nepalese boy.

He was killed in April 1988 as he cooled himself in the river.

Witnesses said he was suddenly pulled below the surface.

Three months later a young boy was dragged underwater as his father watched helplessly.

Five’s Nature Shock series starts on October 14 and “Flesh Eating River Monster” is on October 21, 2008, at 8 pm in the United Kingdom.

(Thanks to Earnest Lee for this tip.)